I stayed with my grandparents a lot when I was young. I could walk to
their house. I enjoyed spending my afternoons after school and also my
summer vacations with them. I cherish the hours I spent sitting in the
porch swing under the huge shade trees in the front yard. My grandpa,
Amos truly talked with me. I remember one of the things he would always
say "Timmie (he called me that instead of Tammy), you've got to have
common horse sense!" I understood what he meant then but I have a deeper
understanding of what he meant now. He was right. I've seen highly
educated people who couldn't do the simplest things because they weren't
common to their senses and I suppose horses are just generally smart.
My grandma Bernice was a foreigner. Not really. She was his 2nd wife. My "real" grandmother passed before I was born. I love Bernice. She was like my second mother. I dreaded seeing her everyday. I knew just as soon as I saw her, she would pull me close and start smacking on my face with her smelly Topps snuff breath and black teeth. I willingly let her do it because she always said "You gotta love your young-uns!" She was right! The best way to direct, encourage and rear a child is to love them to pieces. You can get rid of the smelly breath and black teeth though.
My dad Clyde has taught me many things but the one I probably didn't agree with until lately is "You got to have the right 'quipment!" He keeps his yard and gardens immaculate and works on everything. But he's always says "If you don't have the right equipment you can't get the job done." My husband is a direct echo of my Dad's philosophy on this one. They are right! Since I've become a homemaker, in the kitchen and cleaning all the time, I've bought a lot of the right 'quipment to make my life a little easier.
My mom Juanita can do almost anything except make friends with a computer. She drives me crazy scrimping on stuff. The one thing she won't never ever cut costs on is White Lily flour. She says "It rises best and ain't no other flour can come up to it!" Sometimes I buy off-brand flour. When I spoon it out of the canister, I feel guilty. I can hear her saying White Lily is the best. She's right! White Lily is the best but sometimes, I just don't want to pay the price.
I often wonder if my kids were asked what they remember about me teaching them what they'd say? I hope they'd say I taught them about Jesus. A couple of my favorite sayings (quoting scripture actually) when they were growing up was "Honor they father and they mother so thy days may be long on earth" and "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord I will repay". I pray I have instructed them in the ways of Jesus so they can pass it on to their kids. I purpose to teach my grandchildren the Bible also so when they look back at what I've said to them, they can say "She was right!"
What have you learned from your ancestors? Leave me some comment luv so all of us can be wiser!
Soaking in the wisdom,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
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